Nagamuru ni nagusamu koto wa nakeredomo tsuki o tomo nite akasu koro kana

眺むるに慰むことはなけれども
月を友にて明かす頃かな

Roma-ji: Nagamuru ni nagusamu koto wa nakeredomo tsuki o tomo nite akasu koro kana
English Translation: Though I gaze and gaze,
there is nothing that brings
comfort to my heart,
yet with the moon as my friend
I pass these nights until dawn.
Meaning: Though gazing brings me no comfort, these days I pass the nights until dawn with the moon as my only friend.
Commentary: Love Poems 648

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "The moon"
Gazing at the moon brings no comfort for the pain of love. Even so, with no one else to keep him company, the poet spends these sleepless nights until dawn with the moon alone as his friend. The poem portrays the lonely nights of a love that cannot let go of the moon, though it knows the moon brings no solace.

First line, “nagamuru ni”: though I gaze at it.
Second line, “nagusamu koto wa”: nagusamu is for the heart to be eased.
Third line, “nakeredomo”: though there is none, leading concessively into the lower verse.
Fourth line, “tsuki o tomo nite”: with the moon as my friend, answering the topic.
Fifth line, “akasu koro kana”: these days of passing the nights until dawn; kana is exclamatory.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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